By Natalia Vargas
Sunday, May 4, 2023 was a bright, sunny morning. As she walked into the MassMutual Center in downtown Springfield for her long-awaited graduation day, Sabrina Moore noticed the sunlight and the green leaves on the trees. She thought about the challenges she had faced as a student along the way to that moment.
Moore remembered heading to Pre-Camp on a flashing yellow school bus when she was a first-year student. A similar school bus would pick her up four years later on the day of her graduation, making her feel nostalgic about her student years. Without a doubt, it was an appropriate closure for this stage of her life.
Overwhelmed and nervous, she remembers entering – along with her classmates – into a stadium full of family and friends. During the commencement ceremony, it felt like everything happened too fast because of the nerves. “I walked for my [diploma] and MBC shook my hand,” Moore said, referring to Springfield College president Mary-Beth Cooper. “[She] hugged me and praised my smile, which made me feel good.”
After hearing that, Moore’s fear dissipated, she explained.
At the end of the ceremony, Springfield Provost Mery Ann Coughlin proclaimed: “’Class of 2023, you did it!’ This phrase echoed loudly throughout the stadium. “I felt seen,” Moore said. “Even if the first years of college didn’t start the way I imagined, despite all odds, I was able to do everything I set out to do, including making incredible lifelong friends and mentors, developing my skills for my career, earning my degree in history and a minimum in philosophy. As a class, we succeeded despite the circumstances and the happiness I felt when she said it was inexplicable.”
Having big goals in life is the main reason that motivates us to grow. It is the reason that drives us to start the day and stay late no matter how tired we are. The ambition to achieve our goals is a relentless and powerful source of passion. In short, dreaming big is what makes us great people.
Growing up in Brooklyn, New York, Moore discovered one of these goals when she was a child. She always felt “that something” that sparked a passion within her. The first time she had this connection was on a visit to the Vertebrate Paleontology Museum. This Museum would play a significant role in her life. In sixth grade, one of her history teachers, a person of color, saw “that something” in her. With patience and love, he helped little Sabrina earn her first 100 grade. This teacher made a huge impact on her life because he helped Moore realize she was good at something and create a goal that would set the way for Moore’s life.
After graduating from Clara Barton High School in Brooklyn in 2019, Moore pursued a new beginning at Springfield College. She remembers feeling anguish during her first year of college because of the pandemic. “All my classes were on Zoom from my room,” she said. “Even my work [was remote]. The only time you saw other people was only when walking in a circle to eat your food in Cheney.”
Fortunately, Moore found the positive side of the situation and, when the worst part was over, she had a lot of energy and desire to live new experiences. She decided to become an active member of many clubs around campus. She found a family and an environment full of people who pushed her to improve.
She worked in the Springfield College Archives for four years and was part of the College’s Honors Program. She served as president of the G-Board, and was part of the Sti-Yu-Ka Committee, April band, Black Student Union and the History Club. She received several honors and awards, including the “Distinguished Senior Award” for the Humanities and Social Sciences Department and recognition from the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Office as a recipient of its R.E.A.C.H (Respect, Equality, Accountability, Communication, Home) Award.
During her time at Springfield, Moore also interned at the Archive of American Museum of Natural History’s Vertebrate Paleontology Department – the place where she dreamed of working since she was a child – as part of an Institute of Museum and Library Services-funded project.
These experiences helped her prepare for her life post-graduation. Also, being so connected to her university allowed her to meet people who helped her and were the key to the next stage of her life. After graduating in May 2023 with a degree in History, Moore was part of the Mystic Seaport Museum’s Reimaging New England History Summer Internship Program, and she began a master’s program at New York University in the fall of 2023.
Setting goals, maintaining social connections, pursuing job opportunities, and honing presentation skills are key elements to successfully in the transition from college to professional life. With determination, recent graduates can turn this stage into an opportunity for personal and professional growth. Moore exemplifies this.
Getting involved in campus clubs and organizations enriched her academic experience and helped Moore build meaningful connections. She advises others to look for activities that they are passionate about, and to transform responsibilities into exciting opportunities. “If there is something you like, it will never feel like a routine,” Moore said. “Try to be flexible with situations and look for solutions.”
Maria Crawford, Springfield College’s Associate Director of Alumni Relations, has known Moore since June of 2022, when she hired Moore to work Reunion Weekend for the Office of Alumni Relations. She remembers Moore as a dedicated and hard-working person. “I am very happy to have met Sabrina during her student days and I know that she will be successful in whatever the future holds for her,” Crawford said.
Crawford is also a Springfield College alumna who never left the warm family she found on Alden Street. During her years as a student at Springfield, she got her first internships with large teams thanks to the help of Springfield alumni. Now, in her current position, she is dedicated to helping students like Moore, as someone once did for her.
Alumni Relations is dedicated to creating working relationships between students and alumni, through LinkedIn groups and different types of events. One of its most notable events is the Annual Evening of Alumni & Student Career Networking, which includes an alumni networking directory for attendees. This year it will be held on campus June 6 – 9 and will accept all classes ending in 4’s and 9’s (i.e. the Class of ’54, ’59, ’64, ’69 through 2014 and 2019).
Another resource for students at Springfield College is the “Handshake” job board created by the Career Center. It consists of a page for job postings and people who post their resumes looking for offers. Students who are looking for help or want help with their resume must contact the office directly.
Thanks to the support and advice provided by the College, Moore decided to apply to two graduate schools. During the long wait, Moore had a lot of time to think about all the steps that could have been wrong with her application. When the letter finally arrived she waited two days to open it. “There is no way they would have accepted and offered me a full scholarship,” Moore thought. So she began a new college search. However, none of the steps she took were wrong and there were many reasons why she was accepted and awarded a scholarship.
New beginnings are not only scary because of everything we don’t know but because of everything we leave behind. “During my years as a student, being involved in all these activities and clubs was not only useful for her future resume, I also learned so many things,” Moore said.I found a community in which I felt represented. I learned how to function and be more extroverted in different environments. I learned how to organize activities and I learned to manage my schedules. But one of the most important things I learned is that if you can overcome your sh—-, you can overcome anything.”
Photo Courtesy of Springfield College